Echinacea plant named ‘Noecthree’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘Noecthree’ that is characterized by its short plant height and a compact plant habit, its anemone type (semi-double) inflorescences, its inflorescences that are large in size and white in color, its strong stems, and its floriferous blooming habit.

Botanical classification: Echinacea hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Noecthree’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rightsapplication filed on Sep. 6, 2017, application No. 2017/2146. There havebeen no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effectivefiling date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinaryskill in the art could have been derived from the printed plantbreeder's rights documents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEchinacea of hybrid origin and will be referred to hereafter by itscultivar name, ‘Noecthree’. ‘Noecthree’ represents a new cultivar ofconeflower, an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The new cultivar arose from an ongoing breeding program of theInventor's in Warmond, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop a new cultivar Echinacea with semi-double flowers(anemone type) combined with a strong and floriferous plant habit. Thenew cultivar arose from a cross made in July of 2014 between Echinacea‘Noortdeli’ (not patented) as the female parent and an unnamed andunpatented proprietary plant from the Inventor's breeding program as themale parent. ‘Noecthree’ was selected as a single unique plant from theresulting seedlings in July of 2016.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision in Warmond, The Netherlands in November of 2016 under thedirection of the Inventor. Asexual propagation by division and tissueculture using meristematic tissue has determined that thecharacteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Noecthree’ as a unique cultivar of Echinacea.

-   -   1. ‘Noecthree’ exhibits a short plant height and a compact plant        habit.    -   2. ‘Noecthree’ exhibits anemone type (semi-double)        inflorescences.    -   3. ‘Noecthree’ exhibits inflorescences that are large in size        and white in color.    -   4. ‘Noecthree’ exhibits strong stems.    -   5. ‘Noecthree’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit.

The seed parent differs from ‘Noecthree’ in having inflorescences thatare purple-red in color. The pollen parent differs from ‘Noecthree’ inhaving a much taller plant height. The new cultivar can be most closelycompared to the cultivars ‘White Double Delight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.23,472) and ‘Milkshake’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,594). ‘White DoubleDelight’ is similar to ‘Noecthree’ in inflorescence color and shape.‘White Double Delight’ differs from ‘Noecthree’ in having a much tallerplant height. ‘Milkshake’ is similar to ‘Noecthree’ in inflorescenceshape. ‘Milkshake’ differs from ‘Noecthree’ in inflorescences that aresmaller in size and stems that are weaker in strength.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant less than one year prior to theeffective filing date would have been obtained from a direct or indirectdisclosure from the Inventor under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1). Disclosuresinclude but may not be limited to website listings by pressorganizations; Plantkeuze, The National Garden Database, HorticultureConnected, and KVBC and Horticulture Week that published the listing ofthe new cultivar entry into the new plant competition at Plantarium, inAugust 2018 with no offers for sale and a listing by Esveld thatincluded in their list as a future plant, but had no plant materialavailable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The plants in the accompanying photographs depict the characteristics ofa one-year-old plant of ‘Noecthree’ as grown in a 17-cm container inWarmond, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Noecthree’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescencesof ‘Noecthree’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Noecthree’.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Echinacea.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of one-year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in 17-cm containers in Warmond, TheNetherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Approximately 6 weeks from mid-summer into            fall in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial,        -   Plant habit.—Clump forming, compact and short with upright            and strong stems.        -   Height and spread.—Average of 27.9 cm from soil level to top            of foliar plane, 37.8 cm from soil level to top of floral            plane, 37.2 cm in spread as grown in a 17-cm container,            reaches an average of 50 cm in height and 45 cm in width as            a mature plant in the landscape.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zone 3.        -   Diseases and pests.—No resistance or susceptibility to pests            or diseases has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture and division.        -   Root development.—An average of 30 days for root initiation            with a finished plant produced in about 3 months.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem color.—144A.        -   Stem size.—Average of 6 mm in diameter and an average of            18.9 cm in length.        -   Stem surface.—Rough to the touch, moderately covered with            short strigose hairs; 0.5 mm in length, NN155D in color.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem aspect.—Stems grow in an average angle of 15° from the            base (0°=vertical).        -   Branching.—Main flowering stems grow from the base with a            few lateral branches present, average of 4 primary branches,            5 lateral branches per primary stem.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate to narrowly ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper surface; 144B to 144C, lower            surface; 145A to 145B.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire, slightly undulate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Internode length.—An average of 3.6 cm.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 9.1 cm in length and 3.3 cm in width.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 143A, young lower surface;            146B, mature upper surface; NN137A, mature lower surface;            NN137D.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces are matte, non-rugose, rough to            the touch and moderately covered with very short strigose            hairs; average length of 0.3 mm and 156D in color.        -   Petioles.—Basal leaves average of 6.8 cm in length and 2 mm            in diameter, stem leaves an average of 1.9 cm in length and            4 mm in diameter, moderately covered with very short            strigose hairs 0.3 mm in length and 156D in color, color;            young upper surface 143A, young lower surface 146B, mature            upper surface NN137A, mature lower surface NN137D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Terminal capitulum, heterogamous with ray florets            around the head margin and anemone-type disk florets in the            center.        -   Capitulum number.—Two terminal capitulum per main stem and            lateral branches.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 10 days.        -   Capitulum size.—Matures to about 4.5 cm in height and 8.1 cm            in diameter, disk size is an average of 5.4 cm in diameter.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Involucral bracts or phyllary.—Average of 80 arranged in 3            overlapping rows, up to 7 mm in length and 3 mm in width,            broad cuneate base, acute apex, ovate in shape, entire            margins moderately covered with short hairs 0.3 mm in length            and 156D in color, upper surface; smooth, slightly glossy            and 137C in color, lower surface smooth, slightly glossy and            NN137B to NN137C in color.        -   Buds.—Flattened globular in shape, up to 3.5 cm in diameter            and 1.8 cm in length, color; 144A, immature ray florets            145C, changing to 145D at the base.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, straight on top of main (flowering) stem,            average angle of third peduncle 35° (0°=straight upright),            terminal peduncle length is 11.3 cm, diameter of peduncle is            6.5 mm, third peduncle length is 12 cm, diameter is 5 mm,            144A in color, surface is slightly glossy and covered with            short strigose hairs, 0.3 mm in length and too small to            measure color.        -   Ray florets.—Rotate, average of 23, whorled, oblanceolate in            shape, average of 3.6 cm in length and 8.5 mm in width,            deeply praemorse to cleft apex, attenuate base, entire            margin, moderately drooping in an average angle of −40°,            upper and lower surface texture is smooth, velvety and            glabrous, color: when opening upper and lower surface; 157C,            157B at the tip, when fully open upper surface; 157B, when            fully opened lower surface; 150D, tip 145B.        -   Disk flowers (bisexual).—Numerous, average of 370, narrowly            oblong in shape, 85% of all petals are fused, arranged            spirally on disc average of 13 rows, average of 1.8 cm in            length and 5 mm in width, entire margin, both surfaces            smooth, dull and slightly velvety in appearance, color:            upper and lower surface when opening; 157C, mid-section to            tip 157B, upper and lower surfaces when fully opened; 144B,            mid-section to tip between 150D and 157C.        -   Receptacle.—Globular in shape, average of 1.1 cm in diameter            and 9 mm in height, 155C in color.        -   Receptacle spines.—Acicular in shape, acute apex, attenuate            base, 1.2 cm in length, 2 mm in diameter, smooth and glossy            surface, color: apex; 13A, mid-section; 143A, base; 145D.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1 (only present in disc florets), 8 mm in            length, stigma; decurrent, reflexed, 1 mm in length, 2 mm in            diameter, N144B, style; 6 mm in length and 145C in color,            ovary; 157D in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, filament 3 mm in length and 145D in            color, anther; basifixed, linear in shape, 3 mm in length            and N200A in color, pollen; moderate in quantity, 14A in            color.        -   Fruit/seed.—No fruit or seed detected to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant named‘Noecthree’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.